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The Bright Silvery Light By The Moon Lyrics And Chords

The guitar chords are set in the same key as Foster And Allen play the song in. The key changes half way through the song from G to A. It's up to yourself if you want to change keys. Irish country singer Paddy O'Brien also recorded the song on his album ''We'll Meet Again''. And John McNicholl, Seamus Moore and Mary Darcy.
Recorded by Foster And Allen

I was strolling down the lane
With my sweetheart by the hand,
She was asking a favour of the moon.
And though we were so young
Yet we were both as one,
'Neath the bright silvery of the moon.
 
 
So shine on silver light,
Shine on through the night
The nightingales are singing their sweet song
Well there's not a time so sweet
As when two lovers meet
Neath the bright silvery light of the moon.
 
 
I gave to her a ring
We named our wedding day
We planned on being married in the spring
Now I thank the stars above
For the night we fell in love
Neath the bright silvery light of the moon.
 
 
Shine on through the night
The nightingales are singing their sweet song
Well there's not a time so sweet
As when two lovers meet
Neath the bright silvery light of the moon
Neath the bright silvery light of the moon.
Foster and Allen lyrics and chords

Intro chords G D G
I [G]was strolling down the lane
With my [C]sweetheart by the [G]hand,
She was asking a favour of the [D]moon.
And [G]though we were so young
Yet [C]we were both as [G]one,
'Neath the bright silvery [D]light of the [G]moon.
 
 
So [G]shine on silver light,
Shine [C]on through the [G]night
The nightingales are singing their sweet [D]song
Well there's [G]not a time so sweet
As [C]when two lovers [G]meet
Neath the [D]bright silvery light of the [G]moon.

G, C, G, D , G, C, G, D,G,E
 
 
I [A]gave to her a ring
We [D]named our wedding [A]day
We planned on being married in the [E]spring
Now I [A]thank the stars above
For the [D]night we fell in [A]love
Neath the [E]bright silvery light of the [A]moon.


So [A]shine on silver light,
Shine [D]on through the [A]night
The nightingales are singing their sweet [E]song
Well there's [A]not a time so sweet
As [D]when two lovers [A]meet
Neath the [E]bright silvery light of the [A]moon.
​
(“Neath the Bright Silvery Light of the Moon”) is a gentle, romantic waltz — a timeless 3/4 folk ballad in G major.
It's a soft swaying strum and a smooth fingerpicking tab that capture that nostalgic glow.

🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 Waltz Feel)

Time signature: 3/4 — count “ONE-two-three, ONE-two-three.”

This rhythm gives the song that slow dance by moonlight feeling 🌙

Pattern:

↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
(count: 1 2& 3&)

Beat 1: Strong downstroke (bass emphasis)

Beats 2 & 3: Gentle down-up strokes on the treble strings

Let chords ring smoothly, don’t chop the sound.

Example (G chord):

| G       | G       |
↓   ↓↑   ↓↑
1   2&   3&


Optional alternating bass (for a fuller sound):

G → 6th → 4th string

C → 5th → 4th string

D → 4th → 3rd string

That gives a beautiful rolling motion typical of waltzes and old Irish-American songs.

🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (Verse + Chorus)

We’ll use a gentle waltz arpeggio pattern:

Thumb (p) → Index (i) → Middle (m) → repeat softly

Each bar has three beats, so you’ll pick p – i – m once per beat.

Use:

Thumb (p): bass strings (E, A, D)

Index (i): G string

Middle (m): B string

(Optional Ring (a): on high E for color)

🎶 First Verse Tab
   G                             C                       G
e|--------3-------------3------|--------0-------------0------|--------3-------------3------|
B|------0---0---------0---0----|------1---1---------1---1----|------0---0---------0---0----|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|
D|--0-----------0--------------|--2-----------2--------------|--0-----------0--------------|
A|----------------2-------------|3-----------------------------|----------------2-------------|
E|-3-----------------------------|------------------------------|-3-----------------------------|
  I was strolling down the lane with my sweetheart by the hand,

   G                         D                      G
e|--------3-------------3----|--------2-------------2----|--------3-------------3----|
B|------0---0---------0---0--|------3---3---------3---3--|------0---0---------0---0--|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0|----2-------2-----2-------2|----0-------0-----0-------0|
D|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|
A|----------------2-----------|---------------------------|----------------2-----------|
E|-3---------------------------|---------------------------|-3---------------------------|
  She was asking a favour of the moon.

   G                            C                          G
e|--------3-------------3------|--------0-------------0------|--------3-------------3------|
B|------0---0---------0---0----|------1---1---------1---1----|------0---0---------0---0----|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|
D|--0-----------0--------------|--2-----------2--------------|--0-----------0--------------|
A|----------------2-------------|3-----------------------------|----------------2-------------|
E|-3-----------------------------|------------------------------|-3-----------------------------|
  And though we were so young, yet we were both as one,

   G                        D                          G
e|--------3-------------3----|--------2-------------2----|--------3-------------3----|
B|------0---0---------0---0--|------3---3---------3---3--|------0---0---------0---0--|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0|----2-------2-----2-------2|----0-------0-----0-------0|
D|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|
A|----------------2-----------|---------------------------|----------------2-----------|
E|-3---------------------------|---------------------------|-3---------------------------|
  ’Neath the bright silvery light of the moon.

🎶 Chorus Tab
   G                          C                      G
e|--------3-------------3----|--------0-------------0----|--------3-------------3----|
B|------0---0---------0---0--|------1---1---------1---1--|------0---0---------0---0--|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0|----0-------0-----0-------0|----0-------0-----0-------0|
D|--0-----------0------------|--2-----------2------------|--0-----------0------------|
A|----------------2-----------|3---------------------------|----------------2-----------|
E|-3---------------------------|----------------------------|-3---------------------------|
  So shine on silver light, shine on through the night,

   G                          D                      G
e|--------3-------------3----|--------2-------------2----|--------3-------------3----|
B|------0---0---------0---0--|------3---3---------3---3--|------0---0---------0---0--|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0|----2-------2-----2-------2|----0-------0-----0-------0|
D|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|
A|----------------2-----------|---------------------------|----------------2-----------|
E|-3---------------------------|---------------------------|-3---------------------------|
  The nightingales are singing their sweet song.

   G                           C                       G
e|--------3-------------3------|--------0-------------0------|--------3-------------3------|
B|------0---0---------0---0----|------1---1---------1---1----|------0---0---------0---0----|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|
D|--0-----------0--------------|--2-----------2--------------|--0-----------0--------------|
A|----------------2-------------|3-----------------------------|----------------2-------------|
E|-3-----------------------------|------------------------------|-3-----------------------------|
  Well there's not a time so sweet as when two lovers meet,

   G                       D                        G
e|--------3-------------3----|--------2-------------2----|--------3-------------3----|
B|------0---0---------0---0--|------3---3---------3---3--|------0---0---------0---0--|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0|----2-------2-----2-------2|----0-------0-----0-------0|
D|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|--0-----------0------------|
A|----------------2-----------|---------------------------|----------------2-----------|
E|-3---------------------------|---------------------------|-3---------------------------|
  ’Neath the bright silvery light of the moon.

🎶 Performance Tips

Tempo: Slow–moderate (~70–80 BPM).

Emphasize beat 1 for that classic waltz sway.

Keep your thumb steady and even; the bass should “walk” gently.

Let treble notes ring naturally — no muting.

For emotional lift, fingerpick verses softly and strum the chorus lightly.

Optional hammer-on:

On C chord: 0→2 on D string

On G chord: 0→2 on A string
Colossians 3:14
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